Ultimately, which party prevails in 2010 will depend on who votes. Midterm turnouts tend to be smaller, older and whiter in composition than those for a presidential election. Even small changes in the midterm electorate can have a large bearing on the outcome.
By now, however, it seems pretty clear that Hasan perpetrated what Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., called on Fox News possibly “the most destructive terrorist act to be committed on American soil since 9/11.”
And guess what? Most Americans are not stupid — they can process that information with the clear understanding that Hasan does not represent your average Muslim or your average Muslim serving in the U.S. military. His own words as he opened fire — “Allahu Akbar” — and perhaps his online screeds show who he was. He acted not as a stressed-out shrink, but a violent and twisted extremist.
Link.
You don’t have to be a Republican strategist to agree. “Obama’s focus on health care rather than jobs, when the economy is still so fragile … could make it appear that the administration has its priorities confused,” writes Robert Reich, former Clinton secretary of labor and a supporter of nationalized health care. “While affordable health care is critically important to Americans, making a living is more urgent.”
Not many folks in Washington have made Nancy Pelosi cry “uncle.”
Bart Stupak is one of the few. For months, the Michigan Democrat has been threatening to bring down any health-care bill unless the House was given the opportunity to vote to extend the ban on taxpayer dollars for abortion to the new federal programs being created. On Saturday night, Mrs. Pelosi caved and Mr. Stupak prevailed.
Link.
Link.
Link.
The fight will resume in the Senate, where the Finance Committee has approved a bill that incorporates the compromise just rejected by the House. We urge the Senate to stand strong behind a compromise that would preserve a woman’s right to abortion services.
Six months on, however, Crist looks vulnerable. His poll numbers are down, though he still has a sizable, if shrinking, lead over Rubio. What he does not have is the enthusiasm of the state’s Republican activists, who have repeatedly indicated their preference for Rubio in straw polls.
“I wanna grow up to be a politician. …” Just don’t tell your folks.
Only 17% of U.S. voters want their child to grow up to be a politician, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Sixty-three percent (63%) say, No way.
Some folks may be surprised that the number is this high, but only four percent (4%) of U.S. voters say most politicians keep their campaign promises.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 76% say the majority of politicians do not keep the promises they make on the campaign trail. Nearly one-out-of five voters (19%) aren’t sure.
Nov. 10 (Bloomberg) — Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, drawing on his experience of military failure in Afghanistan in the 1980s, said the U.S. can’t win the conflict there and should begin pulling out its soldiers.
VIENNA (Reuters) – The United States is willing to give Iran time to decide whether to accept a U.N.-brokered deal meant to allay suspicions it is after atomic bombs but which has drawn Iranian objections, a U.S. diplomat said on Monday.
CARACAS, Venezuela – Venezuela and Russia say they are working on a series of agreements for Moscow to provide the South American country with technology for the development of industries ranging from robotics to biochemistry.
LONDON - British scientists begin a new study on Tuesday to consider how human DNA is used in animal experiments and to determine what the boundaries of such controversial science might be.
Link.
The Army psychiatrist suspected of killing 13 people at Fort Hood reportedly warned senior Army physicians in 2007 that the military should allow Muslim soldiers to be released as conscientious objectors instead of fighting in wars to avoid “adverse events.”
WASHINGTON - The FBI and the Army last year investigated contacts between a Yemen-based militant Islamist prayer leader and the Army psychiatrist accused of last week’s deadly shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas, but they dropped the case after concluding that he didn’t pose a terrorist threat, a senior federal law enforcement official said Monday.
